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Media Kit 2012

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A Company Born From Adventure Founded by lifelong adventurer Rick Sweitzer, The Northwest Passage was founded to helppeople experience the world by meeting it on its own terms. The company guides trips on land and sea across Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia and the Pacific, and leads Arctic and Antarctic expeditions through Polar Explorers. Trips with The Northwest Passage are inspired by the experiences its company’s owners and guides have had in the world’s wild places. Travelers who choose the company should be prepared for everything, and can expect to return ready for anything.

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A Wealth of ExperienceThe senior guides at The Northwest Passage have been working in the adventure travel industry since before anyone even uttered the phrase “adventure travel.” They have led clients to destinations on every part of the globe from the North Pole to the South, by foot, kayak, or ski.Owner Rick Sweitzer was an organizer and guide of the very first amateur dogsled expedition tothe North Pole, and has passed that spirit of exploration to each member of his company’s staff. Guides are trained to make safety an absolute top priority, and have maintained an impeccablesafety record. They also build a sense of community into the groups they guide, and help ensure every adventure is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Teaching Future Outdoor Leaders The Northwest Passage doesn’t just provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences for world travelers. At the company’s base in Chicago, clients pursue professional training opportunities for theoutdoor industry. The Northwest Passage offers training for Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder certifications, which are required for most outdoor professions. The company also offers BCU and ACA Kayak training, and a Leave No Trace instructor certification for those who want to learn proper wilderness travel ethics.

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Polar Explorers Few places ignite the imagination of aspiring explorer quite like the polar regions. Since they were first reached just a century ago, the North and South Poles have been a boon for adventure seekers of all stripes. Since 1993, Northwest Passage has provided trips to the literal ends of the Earth through PolarExplorers. Guides with Polar Explorers lead teams each year to the North and South poles by ski, plane, or dogsled, and lead guided trips across the ice cap of Greenland. In nearly 20 years of operation, Polar Explorers has maintained an impeccable safety record. Even faced with the challenges of the world’s most extreme environments, the company has never had a death or serious injury occur on one of its trips.

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Expeditions From Polar Explorers Through myriad trips, Polar Explorers offers adventurers of all levels an opportunity toexperience the world’s most remote places from themselves. The company guides to both poles, and across the Arctic ice of Greenland. Those hoping to simply check polar visits of their bucket lists can take direct flights to either, while those who want to really cut their teeth on the ice can embark on full-length 60-day expeditions from the coasts. On these longer expeditions, guides regularly update trip blogs, sofriends and family can follow travelers’ progress online. The company also offers shorter ski and sled trips to the poles, which last anywhere from two days to a little more than a week. For travelers who would rather stay off skis or sleds altogether, Polar Explorers organizes Arctic and Antarctic cruises. These boat tours allow clients to experience the wild polar regions while spending the nights in a comfortable heated cabin.

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An Environmental Commitment As a company, The Northwest Passage seeks to provide clients with experiences in the naturalworld. That means not just providing high-quality expeditions for travelers, but doing so in a way that minimizes the effect of travel on the environment. Each trip from The Northwest Passage is designed and organized by the company’s own staff.Along with maximizing the experience for clients, guides work to travel with a minimum impact.Because of the nature of adventure travel, this is less difficult than it would be with a traditional tour operator. Much of the travel by The Northwest Passage is human-powered, which generates very little impact on the environment.

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A Company for Extraordinary People Clients with The Northwest Passage form a bond with their guides and fellow travelers that is unique in the travel industry. People who were strangers before a Northwest Passage or Polar Explorers trip often develop strong friendships, and travel groups are known to keep in touch years after their trip is over.The staff at The Northwest Passage encourage any potential clients to research their trips before buying. The company has maintained a sterling reputation with clients and staff alike, and consistently receives rave reviews.